The success of the iPad Air 2 is no surprise, but with competition creating their own tablets which are reasonably priced while still offering a big-screen experience, the market is getting more competitive than ever. The question to ask is whether Apple is continuing to push through tech boundaries or just making minor upgrades to something which already exists?
Battery
The iPad Air’s battery is a fantastic 8,826 mAh, though it’s slightly more than the 7,340 mAh of the iPad Air 2. This means that in the newer model, Apple has been able to reduce the bulk but not compromising on the battery life, which promises to have up to ten hours of useable energy. It also lives up to nine hours on the cellular model.
Screen
The original iPad Air had a 9.7-inch retina display which was pretty beneficial, and although Apple’s rivals included more pixels in their tablets, Apple continued to have the Air 2 at 2,048 x 1,536 but it’s integrated better so the iPad can be slimmer. The Air 2’s screen is also anti-reflective, allowing you to use it in brightly lit spaces. Some people question why Apple kept the same resolution but one thing can be said and that’s at least the display is sharper than the original iPad.
Design
The iPad Air and iPad Air 2 could be mistaken for being the same device if it wasn’t for the latter being 18% thinner and a smidge smaller, but even then it’s not a noticeable difference. There is a new detail though, which is the Touch ID sensor that also serves as the home button. Another significant change is how the screen is made. By eliminating the air gaps between the various layers, Apple has managed to make the display thinner and having the pixels seem closer to the surface.
Camera
The iPad has two cameras, one on the front and one on the back at 1.2MP and 5MP respectively. On the Air 2, both cameras have been improved, having been increased to 1.5MP and 8MP, and the senor now offers better overall low light image quality.